Ancient China · Hermit

Master Chisong 赤松子

Chisongzi

Legendary antiquity

Passages: 6
Chapters: 5
Histories: 3

Overview

Master Chisong was a Hermit.

Life and dates

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Book of Han 20, passage 622; Book of Han 75, passage 187; Book of Later Han 32, passage 35; Book of Later Han 94, passage 283; Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 262

Key source chapters

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32 Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan 2 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 20 Table of Ancient and Modern Persons 1 passage
Book of Han, Chapter 75 Volume 64b: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 2 1 passage
Book of Later Han, Chapter 94 Volume 83: Biographies of Hermits 1 passage
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 55 House of Marquis of Liu 1 passage

Career and standing

Second highest grade: men of benevolence 上中仁人
Nine grade table rank · Listed
Directly stated · Book of Han 20, passage 622

Events and relationships

Cited for breathing arts
Religious · Exemplar · Mode allusion Speaker Wang Bao (王褒)
Directly stated · Book of Han 75, passage 187

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Book of Han 75, passage 187; Records of the Grand Historian 55, passage 262

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 20Table of Ancient and Modern Persons · 1 passage

赤松子 Master Chisong

Book of Han, Chapter 75Volume 64b: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 2 · 1 passage

遵遊自然之勢，恬淡無為之場，休徵自至，壽考無疆，雍容垂拱，永永萬年，何必偃卬詘信若彭祖，呴噓呼吸如僑、松，眇然絕俗離世哉！ he drifts with nature's current in the stillness of wu-wei until good omens come unbidden, his years know no bound, and he may rule with folded hands for endless ages. Why should he need Pengzu's calisthenics or the breathing tricks of Wangzi Qiao and Chisongzi, or cut himself off from the human world to chase immortals?

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 2 passages

然後闔門講習道德，觀覽乎孔老之論，庶幾乎松、喬之福，上隴阪，陟高岡，遊精宇宙，流目八纮。 Then I would shut my gate to study moral teaching and read Confucius and Laozi, hoping for something of the blessing of Chisongzi and Wangzi Qiao; I would climb the Long ridges and high hills, send my spirit wandering through heaven and earth, and let my eyes sweep the eight reaches of the world.

離塵垢之窈冥兮，配喬、松之妙節。 I leave the world's grime behind and aspire to the purity of Wangzi Qiao and Chisongzi.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Biographies of Hermits · 1 passage

少好黄、老，隐遁山谷，因穴为室，仰慕松、乔导引之术。 In youth he loved Huang-Lao, lived in a cave, and studied the breath arts of the immortals Chisong and Wangzi.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 55House of Marquis of Liu · 1 passage

願棄人間事，欲從赤松子游耳。」 I wish to leave behind the affairs of this world and wander with Master Red Pine."